Electric fan



L. RENDANO ELECTRIC FA March 9, 19

Filed May 5, 1941- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 0 a va mm m w. m mD MA w% 0 PatentedMar. 9, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC FAN Louis Rendano,Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application May 5, 1941, Serial No. 391,871

2 Claims.

This invention relates to new and improved completely rotatable electricfans.

Electric fan as now in common use are of two general types, eitherstationary, directing the current of air in only one direction, oroscillating through a limited arc and still incapable of directing theair current beyond a limited field.

Certain proposals have been made to provide fans in which the airagitating portion rotates completely about the base of the fan, but thesuggested constructions possess the disadvantage that they ar ofcomplicated and uneconomical structure and possess basic difiiculties inmaintaining electric contact between the rotating parts. Further thesefans lack wide application in that they often do not permit adjustmentof the position of the blades from substantially horizontal to some moredesired angle.

Modern air conditioning principles show that I general circulation ofair throughout a room is far more to be desired than direction of acurrent of air over a limited area or in one specific direction. It isan object of this invention to provide a fan which will operate inconformity with these principles by providing an improved constructionadapted to revolve completely about the vertical axis of the base andthus stimulate general circulation of air rather than causing currentsand drafts in a specific direction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fan in which the axisabout which the blades rotate may be adjusted from a substantiallyhorizontal position to slanting positions, while maintaining thecharacter of complete revolvability of the fan about the base.

A still further object of the invention is to provide improvedelectrical contacts between the stationary lower base and the revolvingupper portion of the construction.

A still further object is to provide a fan which may be conveniently andsimply dismantled or assembled whereby shipment and storage during thewinter months when the fan is not in use is facilitated.

For a complete understanding of the present invention reference is madeto the accompanying drawings of which Figure 1 is a side elevation of afan with my improvements applied thereto,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the top portion of the fan showing themeans for oscillating the fan in a substantially vertical direction,

Figure 3 is a section through the line 3-3 of Figure 1 with portions ofthe base broken away, and

Figure 4 is a section through the line 44 of Figure 1.

Referring now mor particularly to the drawings, a fan is provided havingthe usual base II provided with a horizontal plate I2 situated on thetop portion thereof, which plate may be of any convenient material, butas constructed in my preferred form comprises a non-metallic dielectricmaterial such as Bakelite or similar plastic.

A plate I6 having a downwardly extending flange 2| overlies the plate I2and is secured to the yoke I I which supports the motor I8 and the fanblades I9 mounted on the revolving shaft 20 driven by the motor I8.

In order to facilitate easy revolution of the plate I6 a central shaft23 secured to the yoke I1 and passing through a hole in the plate I6 isprovided, extending downwardly for a suitable distance into the columnI3 of the base II. The lower portion of the shaft 230. is provided witha circumferential groove 24 into which the tip 25 of the screw 22 may beinserted. It will be seen that by turning the knurled head 26 the tip 25of the screw 22 will be moved into the groove 24 and will prevent theremoval of the motor and fan from the base since the shaft 23 cannot bewithdrawn. This enables the user to pick the fan up by grasping anyconvenient por-- tion thereof without fear of the fan dividing in two.However, should it be desired to store the fan in a constricted space,the fan may be taken. apart into two parts very simply by unscrewing thescrew 22 until the tip 25 is clear of the groove 24 whereupon the upperplate I6 with the yoke and the motor and fan may be lifted out of thebase.

Further to facilitate the revolution of the top portion of the fan aboutthe plate I2 a ball bearing 28 may be provided at the center of theplate I2 upon which the upper portion of the fan will revolve. Thewasher 29 may be secured to the shaft 23 just below the plate I6 andwill ride on the bearing 28 and make for easy and low frictionrevolution.

Electrical contact between the upper and lower portions of the fan ismaintained in a convenient and effective manner as follows: Wires 30 inthe base of the fan, which are connected to a source of electric currentin the usual manner, are run to spring pressed buttons 3| mounted in theplate I2, which buttons extend above the surface of the plate and areurged in an upward direction by springs 3Ia. As shown particularly inFigure 4 the flanged plate I6 is provided with oted at 40 and 4|.

two phosphor bronze, hard copper alloy or similar metallic rings 32 and32a. As seen in Figure 3 the rings 32 and 32a are in contact with theterminals 33 and 33a which are in turn attached to wires 34 and. 3411which run to the opposite poles of the motor l8, thus completing thecircuit. It will be seen that with the spring pressed contacts 3|exerting pressure against the rings 32 there will be no loss ofelectrical contact even if the yoke 11 and consequently the plate [6rocks slightly about the center thereof. Furthermore the provision ofthe combination of the shaft 23 extending for a substantial distanceinto the base of the fan and the spring pressed contacts, provide aconstruction in which it will a be very difficult to break theelectrical contact and which will withstand much careless or roughhandling without injury. In addition the spring pressed buttons whichare preferably situated on opposite sides of the plate I2 providebalance and support for the upper portion of the conabout the axis ofthe shaft 23 may be reversed by changing the angle of the shaft 20carrying the fan blades, above or below the horizontal. Should it bedesired to stop the revolution of the fan about thevertical axis thescrew 22 may be tightened whereby the friction engagement between thetip 25 of the screw 22 and the groove 24 of the shaft 23a will hold theupper construction against revolution with the fan directed in anydesired angular position.

In addition it is sometimes desirable to provide for verticaloscillation of the fan motor and blades. This may be provided in anumber of ways, but my preferred construction is illustrated in Figures1, 2, and 3. As previously noted the motor I8 is mounted on the yoke 11,being piv- The end of the shaft 20 remote from the fan blades is alsoprovided with a worm 42 which is geared to cause the revoluso as to holdarm 48 rigidly against the yoke,- the motor l8 will oscillate about anaxis defined by pivots4il and 4!.

Should it be desired to operate the fan without vertical oscillation ofthe motor and blades, the

screw 52 may be loosened, whereupon the arm 48 will oscillate freely andthe screw pivot 4| may be tightened to hold the motor and fan blades instationary position.

tending downward below the level of said member into the base, said fanhaving a second horizontal circular non-conducting member of slightlylarger diameter than said first mentioned member, said second memberfitting over said first member and having a downwardly depending flangeat its outer periphery, a shaft of a size adapted to fit snugly in saidsocket and revolve thereon, depending from the lower side of said secondcircular member. a U-shaped support rigidly secured to the upper side ofsaid second member, said support pivotally mounting a fan motor having amotor shaft and fanblades on said motor shaft, electrical contactsbetween said members. including annular rings of conductive material onone member and spring pressed contacts on the other extending beyond thesurface of the member, said members being held face to face and saidcontacts being maintained in contact by the weight of the U-shapedframe, motor and blades mounted on said second member and being held inoperable relation by insertion :of said shaft in said socket, andsai'dmembers being separable to divide said fan into two entirely separatedportions by lifting said shaft out of said socket.

2. An electric fan having a base, said base terminating in a fiathorizontal circular non conducting member having a hole in the centerthereof, a second circular hon-conducting member of slightly greaterdiameter than the first mentioned portion, a shaft descending from thecenter thereof adapted to fit in said hole in said first mentionedmember, a fiat annular ring of relatively hard material surrounding saidshaft and secured to said upper member whereby, when said upper andlower members are placed one over the other with said shaft in saidhole, said flat annular ring engages the portion of said lower memberimmediately surrounding said hole, and a space the thickness of saidmember remains between said upper and lower members,

electric contacting means including-annular conducting rings on one ofsaid members andspring pressed buttons mounted to extend beyond thesurface of the other 'of said :members, and'contacting with the rings atall positions of .said members about the axis-of said shaft, a frame onsaid upper member pivotally mounting-a motor having a motor shaft, andfan-blades-on said motor shaft.

LOUIS RENDA-NO.

